Overview Instructions

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Welcome to the 2015 DiscoverDesign.org National High School Architecture & Design Competition!

This year's real-world design problem is to design a pocket park for your neighborhood or school. Click to view the 2015 rules and entry guidelines and registration. 

Check out the 2015 Top 10 Winners!

Design Challenge Background

Pocket parks have the ability to activate under-used or open spaces, and turn them into vibrant community spaces. No matter where they pop-up, they provide a unique place for people to gather, rest, play, or escape the hustle and bustle of the day. Cities across the country have been creating more and more pocket parks to bring neighborhoods to life & create a positive sense of place and pride for their community. A pocket park is a small park, typically build on a single vacant lot or on a small irregular piece of land, that is accessible to the general public.

Design Challenge Brief

 
Design a pocket park for a small piece of land near your school or in your neighborhood. Your design needs to provide spaces for groups to gather, spaces or activites for multiple age groups, and should be no bigger than 14,500 square feet. What might a park look like that is designed with community needs in mind, as opposed to a one-size-fits-all design?

A standard lot size in Chicago is 50'x125'. You could occupy two Chicago lots, adjust the dimensions, or find a lot in your neighborhood that does not exceed the square footage. Can't find an open space? Redesign one!

Your design should include a variety of elements that make a park... a park! From benches, bike shelters and meeting spaces, to playgrounds & pavilions, to cafes, information kiosks, or arts performance areas. You should also consider sustainability issues and the environmental impact of your design.

 

HINT: Click the little 1, 2, or 3 on the image to get more information and tips throughout the project! 

A pocket park is a small park accessible to the general public on a single lot | Photo courtesyof sourcethestation.com

What should I upload?

For your Overview, it is important to post a short, but clear, ‘success statement’ that communicates the goals you hope to solve and achieve through your design solutions. When you’re nearly finished with your design project, you can go back to this success statement to see if your design has met the criteria you first proposed.

For each step along the Design Process we'll give you some suggestions on what to think about, try out, and upload.

A pocket park is a small outdoor space, usually only a few house lots in size or smaller, most often located in an urban area surrounded by commercial buildings or houses on small lots with few places for people to gather, relax, or to enjoy the outdoors. They are also called vest pocket parks, a term first used in the 1960’s. Pocket parks are urban open spaces on a small-scale and provide a safe and inviting environment for surrounding community members. They also meet a variety of needs and functions, including: small event space, play areas for children, spaces for relaxing or meeting friends, taking lunch breaks, etc. Successful “pocket parks” have four key qualities: they are accessible; allow people to engage in activities; are comfortable spaces and have a good image; and finally, are sociable places: one where people meet each other and take people to when they come to visit. While at the same time urban sprawl is destroying community involvement and social gatherings. Urban sprawl it a term used to describe the migration of a population from populated towns and cities to low density residential development over more and more rural land. The end result is the spreading of a city and its suburbs over more and more rural land. In other words, urban sprawl is defined as low density residential and commercial development on undeveloped land. Although this has always been since the world have began urban sprawl encourages people to become less social and more detached from their community. Since they live so far from their works and other amenities, the have less time to get involved with their community. Also with homes being developed further from established ares of town/ downtown area people have to drive further and more often to get to work which increase pollution. A landscape architect spoke at a TED talk once and explained an interesting phenomenon. One would expect the most pollution to concerted in the downtown areas but a study has shown that most of the pollution caused in cities is actually on the outskirts of the city. A creative way to get people more involved in their community and bring interest back to downtown is to create a variety of pocket parks which house urban farms. Urban farms or agriculture is the practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in a small community. A study was conducted in Detroit, Michigan in which the Detroit Recreation Department created and helped manage urban farms in vacant city lots around Detroit. The Urban Agriculture program helped reduce urban blight, provided educational opportunities, and improving access to fresh produce thus in turn creating happier community members.

In my proposed pocket park I will create a community gathering place in which community members can interact and take pride in their surrounding community. There will be an area for the members of the community to not only grow fresh produce but also sell/barter produce to the surrounding community and to the people because of urban sprawl work downtown but live on the outskirts of town. Also, there will be an area for the community to hold community gathering or block parties where their kids can play and interact with other kids and/or inspiring musicians or poets play/recite their work to the public. I want to create a safe environment where people plagued by urban sprawl can realize the beauty of the downtown area and the need to be involved with their surrounding community. Promoting interaction will result in happier people which results in a healthier city.

Comments

You've addressed something I haven't seen in many other projects- the function of a park as neighborhood pride. As part of their projects, everyone has discussed the direct ways people benefit from parks like using playgrounds or the trees for shade. Others have addressed the economic benefits on neighborhoods. You're the first to mention the fact that parks add an important facet to a person's pride and love for their environment. As someone who spent a lot of time overseeing public, community parks I appreciate you recognizing this important trait of public space.

Collect Instructions

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Upload a quick sketch of your ideas! | San Francisco park sketch, photo courtesy of ArchitectureForHumanity.org

Collect Information

In the Collect Info step of the design process, you try to gather as much information as possible about your existing school or community parks and spaces, along with the students, staff and neighbors who will use it.  You can't propose new solutions until you figure out and document what the existing problems are.

What makes a park?

No two parks are the same, so what is it that turns a park from just a plot of land to a vital community space? Take a look at parks near your school, home, work, neighborhood, and city! For the Collect Info step of the Design process you'll gather notes, sketches, photos, videos, etc. of your observations and research. 

Try This

  • Walk around your school grounds and a neighborhood park. Take pictures of what makes that space a "park".
  • Visit Flickr or another photo sharing site and search for types of parks. Determine good and bad examples of how parks meet the needs of their community - for all ages.
  • Post images of buildings, colors, designs, textures, or other things that inspire you in this step. Make sure you give credit to your source!
  • Don't forget to explain your thinking in writing for every image you upload! Tell us why it's important and how it's impacting your thinking.

Think about

  • What kind of outdoor spaces does your school have? Would you consider them a "park"? Why or why not?
  • What kind of parks are in your community? What do you like or dislike about them?
  • Who uses parks? How do different people use parks? Do they all use them the same way or differently?

Colorful sheltered playground at Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, Japan

What types of structures do parks have?

No two parks are the same - each is designed with a specific community and use in mind. Therefore, there are many different types of activities and spaces for people of all ages to enjoy and interact with. Here are a few ideas to kick start your research (Hint: these are great words to search in Google Images!).

Adventure playgrounds

While professional designers used to play a major role in the design of playgrounds around the world, the playground often seen today is a primary-colored collection of plastic equipment with predetermined uses, leaving little room for children’s imaginations. Landscape architects such as Michael Van Valkenburgh are now incorporating different kinds of play spaces into their designs, including in the new Maggie Daley park in Chicago. These ‘adventure playgrounds,’ as they are often called, are made of natural materials and sculpted landscapes with abstract shapes and materials, allowing for the most freedom for imagination.

www.toxel.com 

Bicyle Shelters

Outdoor bicycle shelters can be both functional and beautiful in a park space. They offer park visitors a place to lock up their bikes and protect them from the weather.  Great places to store bikes safely and in an interesting way can encourage community members to ride their bikes more, and be sure to make a stop at your pocket park! A company called Park-a-Bike specializes in creating these structures - Learn more HERE!

Ruby Hill Park in Denver, CO | Photo courtesy of levittdenver.org

What types of structures do parks have?

Looking for even more information? What kinds of pavilions or structures have you noticed in parks near you? Have you ever seen a parklet? Here's some inspiration:

Pavilions

Pavilions can be in many forms or functions. Some are simple and protect picnickers from a rainy afternoon. Others are sculptural, outdoor park kiosks, or for community performances

Think about: What kind of pavilion would your neighborhood benefit from? What examples can you find? What do you like or dislike about them? Why?

Once you choose a kind of pavilion, you'll need to think about what it needs to have inside and out. Here are some things you may want to include in your design:

  • public and/or private use spaces
  • bathrooms
  • storage rooms for food, supplies, or winter storage
  • seating for performances or gathering
  • tables and chairs; benches
  • functional spaces based on your specific pavilion: a kitchen, backstage, open outdoor areas, information windows, etc.

www.behance.net

Parklets

Take inspiration from these tiny parks that pop up in unexpected places like parking spots. Many of these parklets are created by community members looking to activate a space in their own neighborhood, and are moveable, foldable, and able to literally pop-up anywhere!

Think about: What do you notice about their use of space? What kinds of activities can they accomodate in just one parking spot?

www.wrtdesign.com

Tbostic's work for the Collect Information step:

Summary
While selecting a site or more importantly collecting information about the Las Vegas downtown area, I felt it extremely important to not only to choose a site that will benefit the surrounding commun
This empty lot is just outside the Las Vegas downtown area, in a residential area that has been run...
Above are four images of the site I have chosen and the surrounding community. My site will...
Community gardens or Urban farming is a great way to increase community involvement and...
The desert has beautiful native plants and Las Vegas is no expectation. However, the current trend...
Below is a list of the Native plants to the Las Vegas area. Most of them can grow with little water...
The greatest effort in Las Vegas to preserve Las Vegas native plants and promote awareness for...
Urban sprawl is basically another word for urbanization. It refers to the migration of a...

Brainstorm Instructions

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Silver Spring Metro Pocket Park | Photo courtesy of eleven55ripley.com

Brainstorm Ideas

In the Brainstorm Ideas step of the design process, you will develop ideas from all of the information you've collected. You will start to be inspired by new places and you put some early ideas down on paper that show what you've found in the Collect Info step. You also might take more photos to show specific new ideas you have. 

The simple diagrams you make here will help you understand how the  pocket park location and design compare with your new ideas.

Try This

  • Draw a floorplan or siteplan of your parks existing facilities. How are all of the different spaces connected? What are the different pathways you can take through all of these spaces? Map all of these structures and spaces.
  • Use Google Maps to view and print out an aerial photo of your park. Take measurements of the overall dimensions of the area, of both structures and outdoor spaces and use the aerial to map out the measurements.
  • Post this aerial map and sketch here so everyone can understand the relationship between your school building, the neghborhood, park spaces available, and the proposed site of your new park or redesigned park features. Describe the surrounding area and note existing structures such as paths, seating, bike racks, pavilions, playgrounds, concession stands, and any fences. 
  • On a piece of tracing paper placed over the aerial photo of your school, sketch a diagram showing a large arc around the building to show the path of the sun throughout the day.  This drawing is called a site analysis diagram.  (Remember, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.)

Landuse Map in Cary, North Carolina | Photo courtesty of townofcary.org

Think About

  • Will your new pocket park replace your school or neighborhood's existing park spaces or become an addition to a different part of the community? Will it be built in an empty lot or space?  Will it be between buildings, out in a field, or built on the roof?  You decide.
  • Spend some time looking at the aerial photo of the area you select.  What types of other buildings surround your the site?  Homes, businesses, parks, parking lots, or an empty field?  How will these other buildings impact the design of your new athletic pavillion? Create a land-use map!
  • What types of streets surround your school? Are they busy or quiet? What types of streets are in your neighborhood? What might be the best place for people to relax and play?
  • Based on the site analysis diagram you've sketched, where is the sun located throughout the school day?
  • How can the structures and outdoor areas of your new pocket park be positioned to take advantage of the sunlight for good lighting?

Tbostic's work for the Brainstorm Ideas step:

Summary
Taking inspiration from the Springs Preserve I began to sketch out Ideas for the Proposed Park.
A quick sketch to quickly get ideas down. Working out how the park is going to flow and where...
Here is a quick sketch of the entertainment area of the park. I will like to have an amphitheater,...
After I drafted a quick sketch i then went ahead and i tried to replicate the sketch, and to get an...
Here is sketches of a few details and ideas I will incorporate into my design. A water wall to...
Here is another idea which i model into Sketch Up. In this model I added the large grass area and...
Here is a sketch of the urban market of the proposed pocket park. The entrance of the market will...
Here is a rather rudimentary sketch of the amphitheater i will like to have in the entertainment...

Develop Instructions

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Pocket Park with Bocce Ball court | Photo courtesy of Lennar

Develop Solutions

You've been gathering all sorts of information, and brainstorming creative options for your pocket park. Now it's time to put all the pieces together and make some final decisions. In the Develop Solutions step, your rough ideas come together with drawings and models that can show others your solutions for a new pocket park.

Try This

  • Try out different ideas and save each “version”. You do not want to lose a good idea later!  Other people viewing your project - other students around the country, your teacher, and mentors - want to see how your ideas have changed over time. This means that while you're working on your digital model, you’ll want to be sure to keep re-saving it with a new file name every few days as you work through the steps.
  • Make a list of your ideas and associated sketches, or practice models. For your final upload you will want to write a short but effective paragraph of your process and what you found. This will inform the direction you will take for the final solution.
  • Show your ideas to your teacher and peers for some feedback. You can also review your progress with the test group you may have interviewed and test whether your design would meet their needs or address their concerns. Learn from the feedback you receive and incorporate into your final design solution.
  • Do not leave work for the last minute! Going through a detailed design process requires time to gather information, develop ideas, and make improvements. This is difficult or impossible if you try to pull everything together a week before your project is due. Projects that are researched, developed, and well executed will always stand out!

CAD rendering of a park space | Photo courtesy of ivarskalvans.blogspot.com.jpg

Think About

  • Are you reaching your success statement? Review your design and test it against your own observations and review that it has met the project requirements. Did it meet the expectations of the end users that you spoke to? Who is in your community?
  • How do you imagine people will interact with your new pocket park? What will your design contribute to the neighborhood? Why? How so?
  • You have designed with community in mind. What role does the community play in any architect's plans? Talk about it.
  • Keep your park full of activity! How will your park be used in different seasons or weather? Have you been imagining different events or programs that could happen here? Tell us about it! (Check out the High Line in the blue sidebar for some ideas...)

Tbostic's work for the Develop Solutions step:

Summary
After sketching out ideas and completing piecing the puzzle together I then put my Ideas into Sketch Up to get an idea of scale and discover how each element feels and where such elements really want
Here are some concept designs. The first is a bike rack that can also double as a bench when bikes...
The images shown are going to be in the entertainment environment of the pocket park. The first...
Here are concepts of the Urban farm. The first picture is a hanging herb garden. Not only will it...
Here are concepts for the Urban Market for the community to sell or barter their crops that they...
In sketch up I used google maps to replicate the surrounding neighborhood to get an idea of size/...
The above images help illustrates the flow of the three areas of the proposed pocket park. An...
The above image show the interesting path to the urban farm from the street. Partition wall...

Final Instructions

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Chicago's 606 bike paths and parks transform an old defunct railway | Photo courtesy of the606.org

Final Design

You're almost there! The Final Design step of the design process is to create more finished drawings and models that illustrate your ideas to others. Remember, your explanation text, and the types of drawings, images, and models you share need to tell the whole story of your project to someone who may or may not have ever visited your neighborhood or pocket park site.

Try This

  • Review your design and test it against your original sucess statement that you wrote for the Overview. Does it meet this criteria?
  • You might want to share floor plans, elevations, renderings of your digital model, photos of a physical model, or a video animation of your model.
  • Be sure to comment on other projects in the competition to foster, encourage, and build an online design community of learners in DiscoverDesign. Who knows, they might just have a great idea to help bring your project to the next level!  CAF will also recognize students that provide both encouragement and constructive criticism on students' work throughout the run of the competition.

Multi-use pocket park proposal | Photo courtesy of archreview.blogspot.com.jpg

Think About

  • Does your final design meet the expectations of the students, community members, and/or school staff   that you interviewed?  If not, you may need to go back to the drawing board and revise your design. 
  • For your final design, you will want to post a short but effective paragraph of your process and the unique solutions you found and developed. Tell us about your ideas and how they may or may not have changed over the course of the project.
  • What essential skills have you learned? Think about where you started this class or project and what you know now. Practice writing about this here - it might come in handy for a job or college application!

Tbostic's work for the Final Design step:

Summary
After I finished modeling my proposed pocket park I then but the model into Lumion (a fantastic rendering program that anybody can use and creates wonderful renderings).
Out of the three environments in my proposed pocket park this is the Urban Garden section. The...
Out of the three environments in my proposed tri-park, this it the market area. The second largest...
Out of the three environments of the proposed pocket park this is the entertainment area of the tri...
Here is a link to the animation I created of the proposed park in Lumion: https://youtu.be/...
Here is a larger image of the pathway that leads to the Urban Farm. Here you can better see the...
Here is a larger image that shows the simple yet interesting shading structure and amphitheater....
Here is a larger image of the urban market from the view of the path that leads to the environment...